Pratt & Whitney, Japan Aero Engines Corp., and MTU Aero Engines AG will collaborate to provide the PurePower PW1100G-JM engine for the Airbus A320neo program. Under the collaboration agreement, MTU will hold an 18% share and be responsible for the low-pressure turbine and participate jointly with P&W in the high-pressure compressor.

The Golf R will have most powerful VW four-cylinder engine ever sold in U.S., a Jetta GLI with 2.0-L turbo makes its 2012 debut. The Tiguan small crossover sees its fuel economy improved, though diesel is key to VW fuel economy in the absence of hybrids and electric vehicles.

Hybrid and electric vehicles are being eyed by the military, which has often found it difficult to supply fuel when many vehicles are on the move. But a number of challenges must be overcome before warfighters see electrified vehicles in the field.

Citroën's 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show concept, the Tubik, is based on the Hybrid4 diesel hybrid drivetrain that will soon power a production DS5 model, but some Citroën enthusiasts may recognize some of its design cues from the past. The company cites the 1950s H van as an influence, which appropriately was based on DS running gear.

After more than 43 years of service at General Motors, Vice President of Global Strategic Product Alliances Dan Hancock is retiring. A self-confessed "engine guy," Hancock served as Vice President, Global Powertain Engineering; CEO, Fiat-GM Powertrain; and President, Allison Transmission, among many career positions.

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) selected General Dynamics Information Technology as an awardee for the Manufacturing Technologies for Remotely Piloted Vehicles contract. General Dynamics will develop new design methods to improve supply chain and manufacturing techniques for all aspects of Remotely Piloted Vehicles and Aircraft (RPVs/RPA), including airborne and ground components.

General Motors Co. and SAIC Motor Corp. Ltd. are strengthening their partnership by agreeing to co-develop a new electric-vehicle architecture at their jointly owned Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) in Shanghai, the two automakers announced Sept. 20.

The name of the concept may have been drawn from Opel’s 1928 RAK2 prototype rocket powered car, but, with a tandem two-seater layout, it has more in common with the Renault Twizy electric two-seater and other 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show concepts such as the Audi urban concept or Volkswagen NILS.

Audi created a trio of pure electric concepts for the Frankfurt Motor Show. Two were variations of a 1+1 seat ultra-light urban compact city car, while the other was a four-seat A2 described as a “technical study.”

A hybrid system with KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), aluminum architecture, new supercharged 3.0-L V6 direct injection gasoline engine with auto stop-start, top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), and CO2 emissions of only 165 g/km are the core aspects of Jaguar’s new C-X16 concept, which looks set for production for MY2013.

Telematics technology is beginning to transform the insurance industry, but there are still hurdles that must be overcome before connected vehicles become the norm. Privacy is a major concern in some areas, though many providers feel that the issue will fade quickly.

A national team of experts will explore the promise of three-dimensional nanomaterials with the help of a recently awarded U.S. Department of Defense Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative grant totaling more than $7 million over five years.

A handful of government-sponsored tests for connected vehicles will begin next year, providing insight into technical issues and factors such as privacy that will play a major role in determining which projects will get a green light for development and deployment.

Less than a month after announcing the dissolution of their joint venture, Saft and Johnson Controls have announced separate battery projects, the former’s involving a lithium-ion battery plant in Jacksonville, FL, and the latter’s involving a new lead-acid battery plant in China.

Alcoa plans a $300 million expansion of its rolled products plant in Davenport, IA, to meet rising demand for automotive aluminum sheet and plate. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.

Toyota will work with researchers from five U.S. universities on nine new research initiatives to improve safety. Announced at the 2011 Toyota Safety Technology Seminar at the Toyota Technical Center (TTC) in Ann Arbor Sept. 13, initiatives range from automated crash notification to driver distraction and will be led by the automaker's Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC), which is part of the TTC.

Autoliv Inc. on Sept. 13 announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire a long-range radar technology to supplement its own short- and medium-range radar capabilities. The company says that its acquisition of ASTYX Communications and Sensors GmbH's 77-GHz digital beam-forming technology, including hardware and software, will enable full-speed adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, and forward collision warning.

The R-Car E1 automotive system-on-chip (SoC) from Renesas Electronics and Renesas Mobile provides low power consumption and high system integration targeting the cost-sensitive markets of car navigation and multimedia systems, including high-end car radios.